A solo accordion item in which one player performs the paseo, the flowing, storytelling rhythm of Colombian vallenato, entered by age division and judged on rhythm, melody and command of the instrument.
Paseo is one of the four traditional rhythms of vallenato, the accordion music of Colombia’s Caribbean north, and in this competition it is played as a solo accordion item. The player takes the lead melody on a button accordion, usually with the traditional vallenato rhythm section of caja drum, guacharaca scraper and bass behind, and shows how well the paseo’s unhurried, swinging pulse can be carried by one pair of hands.
Paseo is generally the rhythm that sounds most like a story being told. Its tempo is moderate compared with merengue and puya, and its tunes tend to be lyrical, which gives a performer room to phrase, to ornament the melody and to let the bass notes breathe. That space is also what makes it hard: nothing hides a rushed beat, a clumsy bass change or a thin tone.
On eTalenter the item is one of four rhythm items, alongside Son, Merengue and Puya, and is assigned to five divisions: Infantil (5 to 13), Juvenil (14 to 18), Aficionado and Profesional (14 and over, split by playing status rather than age) and Reina Vallenata, a women’s division. Aficionado, Profesional and Reina Vallenata allow overlap, so one player can be entered in more than one of those divisions. Each entry is individual and has a ten-minute limit on the template.
Organisers run the rhythms as separate items because it lets a panel compare players on the same piece of musical ground. A player who excels at fast puya may be less settled in the patient paseo, and scoring them separately shows exactly where the strengths lie.
Where Paseo (Accordion) comes from
Paseo belongs to the vallenato tradition of the Valledupar region on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, where the accordion became the central instrument of the folk music. Vallenato was inscribed by UNESCO on its list of intangible cultural heritage in 2015.
Where Paseo (Accordion) is run
On eTalenter this item is used in one template, built from the published rules of a Colombian vallenato accordion festival. Paseo is played wherever vallenato is performed, across Colombia and in Colombian communities abroad, but each festival sets its own divisions, time limits and scoring, so coordinators should follow the rules of the event they are running.
- Colombia
Key facts
- Individual item: one accordionist per entry
- Five divisions on the template: Infantil (5 to 13), Juvenil (14 to 18), Aficionado, Profesional and Reina Vallenata (women, 14 and over)
- Aficionado and Profesional are split by playing status, not by age
- Ten-minute limit and a maximum of 100 on the template; both are working defaults, so check the official scoresheet
- One of four rhythm items with Son, Merengue and Puya
- Run in any language, since the performance is instrumental
On eTalenter, Paseo (Accordion) is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Paseo (Accordion) is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to around 10 minutes where a limit is set.
The scoring method the templates attach to this item, and what that scale means. The category this competition is filed under when a template is installed. Others in this category: Dance, Music, Drama, Mimicry, Debate, Elocution, Story Telling, Group Song, Action Song eTalenter matches an item to its criteria on the words in its name, and creates exactly these when the template is installed. No criteria match this name, so none are created automatically — judges score it on the event’s own criteria instead.How it is scored
Where it sits
Judging criteria installed for it
What judges look at in Paseo (Accordion)
What a Paseo (Accordion) panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Rhythm and pulse: a steady, swinging paseo beat that never rushes or drags is the base of the score
- Melody: clear, singing lead lines with phrasing that tells the tune, rather than a stream of notes
- Bass and chord work: clean left-hand changes that support the melody show real command of the instrument
- Tone and bellows control: an even, full sound and smooth bellows changes separate experienced players from learners
- Ornament and style: authentic vallenato touches and variation in the repeats earn marks, provided the paseo stays recognisable as a paseo
- Fidelity to the rhythm: a tune that drifts into merengue or puya speed has stopped being a paseo and costs marks
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Paseo (Accordion) under Scoring Setup, or start from judge scoring and tabulation software.
How to prepare for Paseo (Accordion)
How entrants and their teachers usually get Paseo (Accordion) right on the day:
- Listen to recordings of respected players and learn to hear what makes a paseo sit differently from son, merengue and puya before choosing a tune
- Practise slowly with a metronome and the caja and guacharaca patterns until the beat is automatic, then add the melody
- Choose a tune that suits your level; a well-played simple paseo beats an overreaching one with stumbles
- Work on bellows control and bass changes separately; they are the details that show on a calm rhythm
- Plan the ten minutes so the repeats are varied rather than identical, and rehearse the ending as carefully as the start
- Play to an audience before the day, and check with the organiser which accompaniment and instrument rules apply
Events that run this (1)
Ready-made templates that already include this competition. Installing one sets it up for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Paseo (Accordion) judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is a paseo in vallenato?
It is one of the four traditional vallenato rhythms, alongside son, merengue and puya. It is the moderate, melodic one, often used for tunes that tell a story.
Is paseo the same as merengue or puya?
No. They are separate rhythms with different tempos and feels. On the template each is its own item, so a player is scored on each separately.
How long is the paseo item?
The template sets a limit of ten minutes. That is a working default, so follow the time stated in the rules of your own event.
Is it judged individually or as a team?
It is individual. Each entry is one accordionist, entered in the division that matches their age or playing status.
Similar competitions
Items whose names share a word with this one — usually the same discipline in another form.
Want the full judging picture? Read judge scoring and tabulation software, or browse every on stage competition item.
Try Paseo (Accordion) in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Paseo (Accordion), and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
